Sara Ahmed and her father, Yousif, wanted to make international groceries more accessible in Columbia after their continuous, two-hour long trips to find their favorite foods. They had the idea to bring their favorite foods to them. Sara's father is Moroccan, and her mother is from Greece, making her a big fan of international cuisine.
“Down here in Columbia, we usually don’t have a bunch of healthy Mediterranean groceries,” Sara Ahmed said. “We always have to go all the way down to Charlotte to get this stuff.”
Al Salam Groceries is an international grocery store located in West Columbia. The store opened in June and offers a variety of dried goods, freezer meals, refrigerated items and snacks from different parts of the world.
Ahmed's father owns the store, but she serves as the manager. One aspect of the store Ahmed said customers particularly enjoy is the range of seasonings.
“They see a lot of seasonings that are different and have more flavor,” Ahmed said. “There are international seasonings that you won’t find at any convenience stores.”
Laura Alghothami noticed the store on a trip to the doctor's office and couldn't help but stop by on the way home. Alghothami is Turkish and her husband is half Turkish and half Syrian.
One of Alghothami’s favorite international dishes is makdous, which is sold at the store. The dish consists of fermented baby eggplant that is stuffed with walnuts, red peppers, chili and garlic; and then preserved in olive oil.
“You cannot find that at any other store,” Alghothami said. “And if you order it online it comes with the oil all leaking and it’s a mess.”
Alghothami was also impressed by the store’s cheese selection. She said it was nice to find international cheeses beyond Feta, especially those that are native to Turkey.
Similarly, Alghothami found the products to be more authentic than typical grocery stores. She specifically appreciated the thin pita bread.
“The one you get at Publix isn’t really pita bread,” Alghothami said.
Moe Alsufari works as a cashier at the grocery store. Since Alsufari started working there, his family has started shopping almost exclusively at the store because it carries certain seasonings and products from their native country, Yemen.
Alsufari said he appreciated the diverse range of groceries that the store offers. He especially likes that people from all over the world are drawn to their wide array of products.
“It has something for everyone,” Alsufari said. “I know people from Bosnia that came in and found something that reminded them of something from back home.”
However, Alsufari still guarantees customer satisfaction for customers who are wanting to experiment with different foods.
“If you come in and you try at least two, three things, you’re going to find something you like,” Alsufari said.
Despite the store's reported wide selection of authentic groceries, Ahmed said the store remains affordable while still offering healthy products.
“We want the students to know that they don’t have to spend a lot of money to eat well.” Ahmed said, “I know these days everyone is looking for healthy options and affordable groceries and that’s something we have.”
Another reason Ahmed said people should shop at the store is to support a local business. Ahmed said she welcomes the community and wants them to know that the business truly cares about their customers.
On the other hand, Alsufari encourages people to step out of their comfort zone and try foods that are unfamiliar to them.
“I don’t want to be going to Chick-Fil-A every day,” Alsufari said. “Yeah, I like it, but it gets boring fast.”
Ahmed shared that the store is hoping to expand by the end of the year. The store will broaden their selection to include fresh meat and produce.
Al Salam Groceries is located at 1082 Sunset Blvd. The store is open every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The store posts frequent updates on its Facebook and Instagram accounts @alsalamgroceries.